The preparation of labels for one or a few containers of medicines or other objects is easily accomplished by the individual typing of these labels. The labelling of large numbers of containers, such as over the counter medicines, is easily accomplished by conventional printing. However, hospitals, pharmacies and other businesses often have the need for relatively short runs of particular labels. A hospital, for example, may need twenty-five of one label, fifty of another, one hundred of another, ten of yet another and so on.
Conventional apparatus requires a considerable amount of time for the preparation of embossed plates or the setting of type. Although this delay can be avoided by using stencils which can be easily prepared on a conventional typewriter, the conventional label printers which use stencils require the handling of ink to saturate a pad or roller and therefore tend to be quite messy.
The conventional devices also utilize mechanical systems for indexing the labels which limits them to use with only a label of a single size and ordinarily only with a particular type of label.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a machine which uses an ink impregnated pad so that a small quantity of customized labels can be quickly prepared utilizing stencils which can be prepared on a conventional typewriter and yet avoiding the handling of messy inks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus which will automatically print a selected number of labels at a high speed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which can print labels of varying lengths.